Variety of Rubus plant named ‘Sugana’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Rubus  plant named ‘Sugana’ having bright colored and large fruits with a long shelf life.

Botanical classification: Rubus idaeus.

Varietal denomination: ‘Sugana’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Rubusidaeus known by the varietal name ‘Sugana’.

The new cultivar was discovered in October of 1999 in Buchs, Switzerlandas part of a planned breeding program. The purpose of the breedingprogram was to develop better primocane raspberries with big fruits anda good shelf life. The new variety is the result of a cross betweenraspberry variety ‘Autumn Bliss’ (female parent, U.S. Plant Pat. No.6,597) and raspberry variety ‘Tulameen’ (male parent, unpatented). Thenew variety's upright habit and high level of apical dominancy aretraits that are similar to ‘Autumn Bliss’. However, the new variety hasbrighter colored fruits and a better rooting habit than its femaleparent. The new variety exhibits a similar fruit size and rooting habitto ‘Tulameen’. The new variety was first asexually reproduced by placingroots of motherplants in bags, cutting upcoming shoots, and rooting thecuttings under mist in Buchs, Switzerland in April of 2000. Continuedobservations of asexual reproductions of the new variety have confirmedthat the distinguishing features of this new cultivar come true, remainstable, and are retained through successive propagations.

The following traits are determined to be basic characteristics of thisnew cultivar which distinguish this raspberry plant as new and distinctwhen compared to other varieties known to the breeder:

-   -   1. Large fruit;    -   2. Big drupelets;    -   3. Very bright, colored fruits that maintain their color well;    -   4. Excellent shelf life, the fruit of ‘Sugana’ can be marketed        up to ten days after harvest;    -   5. Extremely high multiplication rate for a primocane variety        (up to 280 young plants from one motherplant); and    -   6. Very high level of apical dominancy, making only 3-4 lateral        shoots.

The following characteristics also distinguish ‘Sugana’ from otherraspberry varieties known to the breeder. The characteristics aredescribed with comparative reference to raspberry varieties ‘Erika’(unpatented), ‘Polka’ (unpatented), and ‘Himbotop’ (unpatented).

-   -   1. ‘Sugana’ is much more upright than ‘Erika’ with a higher        level of apical dominancy;    -   2. The shoots of ‘Sugana’ are more stable than the shoots of        ‘Erika’;    -   3. ‘Sugana’ exhibits fewer and smaller laterals than ‘Erika’.        ‘Sugana’ exhibits 3-4 laterals while ‘Erika’ exhibits 6-8        laterals;    -   4. The branches of ‘Sugana’ have less anthocyanins than ‘Erika’        and, therefore, they are not as red as the branches of ‘Erika’        (see FIGS. 7 and 8);    -   5. In Autumn, ‘Sugana’ produces more new shoots from the ground        than ‘Erika’ (see FIG. 3);    -   6. After propagating both varieties with roots and comparing the        upcoming shoots, the propagation rate of ‘Sugana’ is about 20%        higher than ‘Erika’;    -   7. Especially in northern climates, ‘Sugana’ has about 10% fewer        blooms than ‘Erika’;    -   8. The fruits of ‘Sugana’ are about 10 to 15% bigger than the        fruits of ‘Erika’ (see FIG. 5);    -   9. The color of ‘Sugana’ fruit is brighter than the fruit color        of ‘Erika’ (see FIG. 5), ‘Polka’, and ‘Himbotop’;    -   10. ‘Sugana’ fruit has bigger drupelets than ‘Erika’;    -   11. ‘Erika’ has a higher number of, and more aggressive, thorns        than ‘Sugana’; and    -   12. ‘Sugana’ has fewer lateral shoots than ‘Polka’, ‘Erika’, and        ‘Himbotop’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawings illustrate the new cultivar andcomparison varieties, with the colors being as nearly true as possiblewith color illustrations of this type:

FIG. 1 is a photograph of an entire plant of the new variety;

FIG. 2 is a photograph of ‘Sugana’ fruit one day after harvest;

FIG. 3 illustrates the new shoots of ‘Sugana’ in October;

FIG. 4 is a close-up photograph of a flower of ‘Sugana’;

FIG. 5 illustrates the fruits of ‘Sugana’ in comparison with the fruitsof ‘Erika’;

FIG. 6 illustrates the fruits of ‘Sugana’ (top) in comparison with thefruits of ‘Polka’ (bottom);

FIG. 7 illustrates the thorns and color of ‘Sugana’ canes;

FIG. 8 illustrates the thorns and color of ‘Erika’ canes;

FIG. 9 illustrates the color of ‘Sugana’ shoots;

FIG. 10 illustrates the color of ‘Polka’ shoots;

FIG. 11 is a photograph of the thorns of ‘Sugana’ and ‘Autumn Bliss’;

FIG. 12 is a photograph of the thorns of ‘Sugana’;

FIG. 13 illustrates the upper surface of young leaflets of ‘Sugana’;

FIG. 14 illustrates the lower surface of young leaflets of ‘Sugana’;

FIG. 15 illustrates the upper surface of mature leaflets of ‘Sugana’;and

FIG. 16 illustrates the lower surface of mature leaflets of ‘Sugana’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

‘Sugana’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment, such as temperature, day length, and light intensity.However, there is no variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants of the new varietywere planted in a 10 liter pot at the end of March in Buchs,Switzerland, and the descriptions herein were observed in the middle ofOctober of the same year, so the plants were approximately 7 months oldwhen described. The plants were grown in their containers under fieldconditions. The measurements were taken under natural light in agreenhouse.

PLANT

-   Primary use: ‘Sugana’ is primarily grown for its primocane fruit.-   Time to initiate roots: 14 days at 18-19° C., under mist.-   Time to produce a rooted plant: 40-45 days, including    acclimatization/hardening time.-   Rooting habit: Very good; young plants typically produce 3-5 roots    that branch and fill a 5 cm. container.-   Form: Very upright plant with 3-4 fruiting laterals.-   Height (from soil to top of plant): 170-200 cm.-   Plant diameter: 70-80 cm.-   Vigor: Medium to high.-   Disease/pest resistance: Medium tolerance to Phytophthora,    especially when planted in the field. When planted with a row of    ‘Polka’ which died from Phytophthora, the ‘Sugana’ plant is still    growing and fruiting for 2 years now. On the other hand, some    Phytophthora losses have occurred when ‘Sugana’ was cultivated in    pots.-   Weather tolerance: Tolerance to rain is better than ‘Autumn Bliss’,    but not very good. In windy locations there can be some fruit damage    because of the spines/thorns of ‘Sugana’.-   Primocane:    -   -   Average number of canes per plant.—A one-year old culture            has 1-2 canes per plant. Later on, there are at least 3-5            canes. Late in the season, especially, ‘Sugana’ produces            many new shoots from the ground.        -   Average length.—170-200 cm. (1 year old culture).        -   Average diameter.—0.8-1.0 cm.        -   Fruiting cane color.—142C, with some red coloration on the            sunny side of the canes (see FIG. 9), but less red than            ‘Polka’ (see FIG. 10) and ‘Erika’ and about the same as            ‘Autumn Bliss’.        -   Dormant cane color.—Brownish-grey.        -   Number of fruiting laterals per cane.—3-4.        -   Internode length.—5.3 cm.        -   Young shoot color.—142C.-   Thorn:    -   -   Density.—Medium, less than ‘Autumn Bliss’ (see FIG. 11) and            ‘Erika’.        -   Length.—2-2.5 mm.        -   Color.—Dark red to violet.        -   Texture.—Relatively hard, but the tips soon break.        -   Tip attitude.—Pointing slightly backwards (see FIG. 12).-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Compound.        -   Number of leaves per stem.—Usually 3, sometimes 5.        -   Fragrance.—None present.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—7-8 cm.        -   Diameter.—2.5 mm.        -   Color.—Pale green.        -   Texture.—Very thin hairs present.-   Young leaflet color:    -   -   Upper surface.—142A (see FIG. 13).        -   Lower surface.—143B and the veins are green. Between the            veins there are thin grew hairs which provide a greyish            impression (see FIG. 14).-   Mature leaflet color:    -   -   Upper surface.—142A (see FIG. 15).        -   Lower surface.—143B and the veins are green. Between the            veins there are thin grew hairs which provide an overall            grey impression (see FIG. 16).-   Lateral leaflets:    -   -   Length.—9.5-10.5 cm.        -   Width.—5.5-6.8 cm.        -   Shape of leaf (generally).—Ovate.        -   Shape of apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Shape of base.—Cordate.        -   Texture.—Soft.        -   Margin type.—Doubly serrate.-   Terminal leaflets:    -   -   Length.—13.5-14.5 cm.        -   Width.—9-12.5.        -   Shape of leaf (generally).—Rather irregular; ovate.        -   Shape of apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Shape of base.—Cordate.        -   Texture.—Harder and firmer than lateral leaflets.        -   Margin type.—Doubly serrate.-   Veins:    -   -   Upper surface color.—145C.        -   Lower surface description.—145C in color, with some small            thorns present.-   Fruit (see FIGS. 1 and 6):    -   -   Harvest season.—The third week of August until October on            primocanes; in June on floricanes.        -   Number of fruit per fruiting lateral.—13-21.        -   Immature color.—43D.        -   Maturing color.—42B.        -   Mature color.—After storage of about 1 week, the color of            ‘Sugana’ is rather stable and a really red color, 41B (not            violet like other varieties).        -   Taste.—Agreeable; the same level of sweetness as ‘Polka’,            but with more acidity.        -   Length.—2.8-2.9 cm.; in the mountains, such as the province            Trento of Italy, the fruit can be more than 3 cm. in length.        -   Width.—2.6-2.7 cm.        -   Overall shape.—Round to conical. In the beginning of the            season, the fruits are more conical, and afterwards they            become more round. In more northern climates, the fruits are            also more conical than in more southern or Mediterranean            climates.        -   Glossiness.—Medium; less so than fruits of ‘Erika’ and            ‘Polka’.        -   Weight.—6 grams; in the mountains, in more northern            climates, and in the beginning of the fruiting season,            fruits can be 2-3 grams bigger.        -   Drupelet size.—Big to very big; sometimes more than 3 mm.            and much bigger than ‘Polka’.        -   Drupelet number.—100-120 drupelets per fruit.        -   Drupelet arrangement.—Rather irregular.        -   Flesh firmness.—Rather firm; less firm than ‘Polka’, but            only because the fruitflesh-seed ratio is much better with            ‘Sugana’.        -   Skin firmness.—Very good; much firmer than ‘Autumn Bliss’            and ‘Polka’. The skin of the drupelets seems to be very            elastic.        -   Receptacle/torus length.—1.6-2 cm.        -   Receptacle/torus width.—1-1.2 cm.        -   Adherence of berry to receptacle.—The berries can be picked            much easier than with ‘Polka’ and ‘Erica’.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistil number per flower.—70-90.        -   Pistil size.—Medium.        -   Stamen number per flower.—85-105.        -   Stamen size.—Medium.-   Flowers (see FIG. 4):    -   -   Natural flowering season.—In Buchs, Switzerland, the            primocanes of ‘Sugana’ flower from the end of June to            August/September, and the floricanes flower from the end of            April until May.        -   Number of flowers per plant.—150-200.        -   Color.—155D.        -   Flower height.—0.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—3.1 cm.

1. A new and distinct variety of Rubus plant named ‘Sugana’ as herein described and illustrated. 